On 11/07/2013 Doug wrote:>A friend in Canada sent a few photos of Fantini on his 70th birthday. I>thought people might enjoy a peek at this legend of Australian climbing>enjoying a couple of ales:

Doug, In a wee message from the man himself he said he set a personal best that day - 3 beers! (in the Skaha parking lot where I guess these pics were taken).
Also, but of lesser significance, he did 7 climbs that day "3 were 12s, & 4 were were 11s..."!

Yes, the photos were taken in the Skaha parking lot. John did receive several bananas as gifts. They did not appear in the photos because a couple of climbers visiting from QLD insisted in inspecting them first to check that their curvature fit specifications (see attached photo).

John slugged a few brews back, not XXXX Gold but Rutting Elk Red - brewed by the Grizzly Paw Brewery, Canmore, Alberta. The following week John won his age group (70 - 99) in the Penticton Granfondo by 5 minutes. He truly is an inspiration to all who know and climb with him at The Bluffs.

I received an email yesterday from a friend who is presently living in Canada. She writes:

> We climbed with John [Fantini] on Monday here in Squamish and he ticked a 25. He is retargeting 25s that he's done before as he thinks that this is his limit at the moment. I think he could be climbing harder. He is amazing to watch - especially his foot work. He just seems to place his feet anywhere he wants to and climbs on. He was putting the draws up for me. It is not everyday you can say that you had a 70 year old put the draws up for you :)

Haha, clearly this chick has no idea who she's dealing with. When I climbed with John in Skaha for a day just a couple of years ago we went on a tour of 24's and 25's until I was toast (I made it to 8, plus a few warmups to get going)........John had a couple more in him after I was destroyed.

On 9/08/2013 gfdonc wrote:>I received an email yesterday from a friend who is presently living in>Canada. She writes:>>> We climbed with John [Fantini] on Monday here in Squamish and he ticked>a 25. He is retargeting 25s that he's done before as he thinks that this>is his limit at the moment. I think he could be climbing harder. He is>amazing to watch - especially his foot work. He just seems to place his>feet anywhere he wants to and climbs on. He was putting the draws up for>me. It is not everyday you can say that you had a 70 year old put the draws>up for you :)>>We are all humbled ...>

This gives me hope. I plan on starting to climb regularly when I'm about 50.

On 9/08/2013 One Day Hero wrote:>Haha, clearly this chick has no idea who she's dealing with. When I climbed>with John in Skaha for a day just a couple of years ago we went on a tour>of 24's and 25's until I was toast (I made it to 8, plus a few warmups>to get going)........John had a couple more in him after I was destroyed.